Tree Care Questions from St. Augustine Homeowners

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in St. Augustine?

Sometimes, and it depends more on your address than on your tree. The City of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, unincorporated St. Johns County, Jacksonville and Palm Coast each set their own tree rules, and each updates them on its own schedule. Jeff confirms the current requirement for your property before any work starts.

Can I remove a dangerous tree without a permit in Florida?

Sometimes, on residential property, and the bar is higher than most people expect. Florida law allows a narrow exemption when a tree has been formally documented as dangerous. That takes a written tree risk assessment, done to a specific professional standard, by a credentialed professional the statute names. A tree that worries you is not the same as a tree that meets that standard. Jeff isn't an ISA Certified Arborist, so he can't produce that assessment. When he thinks a tree would meet it, he'll tell you and point you to someone qualified to document it.

Do I need a permit to clear a lot for a new home?

Usually, yes. Clearing for development is treated differently from removing one tree in an existing yard, and the requirements vary by jurisdiction. Jeff reviews the plan and confirms the current local requirements before any clearing starts.

When should I trim trees before hurricane season?

Before June 1, when Atlantic hurricane season starts. Late winter and spring give time to cut back limbs over the roof and thin heavy crowns before the first storm. Waiting until a storm is in the forecast usually means a long wait for any tree crew.

What should I do if a tree falls on my house?

Get everyone out of the damaged area and stay away from any downed power line. Call your power company if a line is involved. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, for your insurance claim. Then call or text Jeff at 904-540-2167. He's available 24/7.

Do you offer 24/7 emergency tree service?

Yes. Jeff is available 24/7 for storm emergencies across St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Jacksonville and Palm Coast, nights and weekends included. He offers same-day service based on availability. Call or text Jeff at 904-540-2167.

Do you do emergency tree work at night?

Yes, including limbs that have come through a roof. Several of Jeff’s saws are battery powered and run much quieter than a gas chainsaw, which matters on a residential street or in a condo community late at night. The crew also keeps conversation to a minimum on night calls. No tree work is completely silent. Most of what the crew does after dark, though, your neighbors will sleep through.

Should I have my palms cut back before hurricane season?

No. Removing green fronds makes a palm more likely to fail in a storm, not less.

After the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, University of Florida researchers found that hurricane-cut palms were more likely to have their crowns snapped off than palms left with full crowns. The fronds aren't what catches the wind and brings a palm down. The crown is what holds it together.

There's a second reason to leave them alone. Most Florida palms are short on potassium, and the first sign shows up as yellowing or spotting on the oldest, lowest fronds. Those are the exact fronds a hurricane cut takes. UF found that repeatedly pruning potassium-deficient older leaves reduces the number of healthy green leaves a palm can hold, so the cut makes the problem worse every year it's repeated.

If someone quotes you a hurricane cut on a healthy palm, get a second opinion first. Jeff's are free. Call him at 904-540-2167.

How do I know if a tree needs to be removed?

Warning signs include a new lean with lifting soil, deep cracks in the trunk, mushrooms or soft wood at the base, and a dead crown in the growing season. Any of these deserve an inspection. Many trees with problems can be saved by pruning, so get an assessment before deciding.

What happens if there is a bird nest in my tree?

Jeff stops and talks it through with you before cutting. Each situation is different, so he'll look at the tree and walk you through the options on site. Active bird nests are often protected under state and federal law.

Why do so many water oaks come down in storms around here?

Because water oaks are short-lived trees that tend to start failing right about the time they reach full size.

University of Florida puts their lifespan at 30 to 50 years and notes that many are hollow by 40. They're poor at walling off decay, so a wound another oak would seal over turns into a cavity instead. Their long horizontal limbs sag as they put on weight, and those are the ones that split out in high wind.

They're common in Northeast Florida yards because they grow fast and got planted heavily. A mature one runs 50 to 60 feet tall with a spread of 60 to 70 feet, which is a lot of weight over a roof.

This is one of the few situations where Jeff may tell you removal is the right answer instead of pruning. A healthy live oak next to a house is usually worth saving. A 45-year-old water oak leaning over one usually isn't. If you're replacing it, UF recommends live oak, Shumard, bur or white oak.

Not sure which one you have? Send Jeff a photo at 904-540-2167 and he will identify it.

Can I get a free second opinion on tree removal?

Yes. If another company recommended removing a tree, Jeff will inspect it at no charge and tell you whether removal is really necessary or whether pruning will make it safe. His aim is to keep healthy trees standing whenever that's safe.

Can you remove a tree that's close to my house?

Yes. Much of Jeff's work is on tight lots near St. Augustine's oldest homes. Trees that can't be dropped whole are taken down in sections so nothing lands on the house.

How much does tree removal cost in St. Augustine?

It depends on the tree's size, how close it is to the house or power lines, whether it has to come down in sections, and how easy it is to access where the tree is located on your property. Jeff quotes every job after seeing the tree, and quotes are free.

Do vines on a tree add to the price?

Heavy vine growth adds work before the trimming starts. Trees along undeveloped lots and wood lines often carry wisteria, Virginia creeper or wild grape running up through the canopy. That growth adds real weight to the limbs, and it has to come off before Jeff can see the structure of the tree and rig it safely. On a heavily covered tree, clearing vine can take as long as the trim. Jeff will tell you up front when vine removal is part of the price and what it covers.

Is Jeff Mobley Tree Service licensed and insured?

Yes. Jeff Mobley Tree Service, LLC is licensed and insured, with licenses in St. Johns County (#1010041), the City of Jacksonville (#253789) and Palm Coast (#78068).

How long has Jeff Mobley been doing tree work?

Jeff has worked on trees in the St. Augustine area since 1998. He formed Jeff Mobley Tree Service, LLC in 2015.

What's the best way to reach Jeff?

Call or text him directly at 904-540-2167. Texting a photo of the tree with your address lets him see the job before he calls back.